E&C Democrats Introduce Infrastructure Package Aimed at Combating Climate Change, Expanding Broadband Access & Protecting Public Health and the Environment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2019

Committee Also Announces Hearing on The LIFT America Act

Wednesday, May 22

Washington, D.C. – All 31 Democratic members of the Energy and Commerce Committee today introduced a sweeping infrastructure package, the Leading Infrastructure For Tomorrow’s America Act, or LIFT America Act, that will rebuild America through investments in combating climate change, expanding broadband access and protecting public health and the environment.

Full Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. also announced that the Full Committee will hold a hearing on the bill on Wednesday, May 22, at 10 am in the John D. Dingell Room, 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, “LIFT America: Modernizing Our Infrastructure for the Future.”

“We cannot wait any longer to act on climate or to modernize our nation’s aging infrastructure. The LIFT America Act makes significant investments in rebuilding our country and takes an important step in combating the climate crisis by moving us towards a clean energy future and reducing our carbon emissions,” said Pallone. “This legislation will strengthen our economy for the future by creating good paying jobs, making critical investments in our nation’s broadband network, and bringing critical improvements to our drinking water and health care infrastructure.”

The LIFT America Act includes investments in several key areas, including:


Action to Combat the Climate Crisis and Protect Our Environment:

• Over $33 billion for clean energy, including $4 billion to upgrade the U.S. electric grid to accommodate more renewable energy and make it more resilient. It also includes $4 billion for the expansion of renewable energy use, including $2.25 billion for the installation of solar panels in low-income and underserved communities. LIFT America also includes $23 billion for energy efficiency efforts – namely retrofitting and weatherizing buildings, including schools and homes, to ensure they produce fewer carbon emissions – and funding the nationwide deployment of more clean energy fuels.
• $2.7 billion to spur the development of Smart Communities, including $850 million in technical assistance to help cities and counties integrate clean energy into their redevelopment efforts, and $1.4 billion to support the development of an electric vehicle (EV) charging network.
• More than $21 billion to protect Americans’ drinking water, including $2.5 billion to establish a new grant program allowing PFAS-affected communities to filter the toxic chemicals out of their water supplies. LIFT America also expands upon the passage of the 2017 Safe Drinking Water Act by extending and increasing authorization for the State Revolving Loan Fund, and other safe water programs.
• $2.7 billion for Brownfields redevelopment to revitalize communities and create jobs by returning valuable land to productive use.

Expanding Access to Broadband Internet:

• $40 billion for the deployment of secure and resilient high-speed broadband internet service to expand access for communities nationwide and bring broadband to 98 percent of the country.
• $12 billion in grants for the implementation of Next Generation 9-1-1 services to make 9-1-1 service more accessible, effective, and resilient, and enable Americans to send text messages, images, or videos to 9-1-1 in times of emergency.
• $5 billion in federal funding for low-interest financing of broadband infrastructure deployment through a new program that would allow eligible entities to apply for secured loans, lines of credit, or loan guarantees to finance broadband infrastructure build out projects.

Investing in America’s Health Infrastructure:

• $2 billion in funding to reauthorize the Hill-Burton hospital infrastructure program, including targeted assistance to support cybersecurity in the health system.
• $1 billion for Indian Health Service infrastructure projects to reduce health disparities in Indian Country.
• $100 million to support state labs on the frontlines of fighting infectious diseases.
• $100 million to establish a community-based care infrastructure program and to develop teaching health centers and mental health care centers.
• $3.5 billion to improve public health infrastructure at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and at state, local, tribal and territorial health departments.

The LIFT America Act is sponsored by Energy and Commerce Committee members Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Mike Doyle (D-PA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Dave Loebsack (D-IA), Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Joe Kennedy III (D-MA), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Scott Peters (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Annie Kuster (D-NH), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Donald McEachin (D-VA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Darren Soto (D-FL) and Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ).


A section-by-section of the bill is available HERE, and the text of the bill is available HERE.





Information for next week’s hearing on this legislation, including the Committee Memorandum, witness list, testimony and a live webcast, will be posted HERE as they become available.

Pallone Unveils Comprehensive Infrastructure Package

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2017

LIFT America Act Invests in Infrastructure, Creates Jobs

& Protects Public Health and the Environment

Washington, D.C. – Today in Carteret, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) unveiled legislation to invest in America’s infrastructure, create jobs and modernize our economy for the 21st century. Congressman Pallone’s bill provides for funding for a comprehensive 21st Century infrastructure package including key areas such as broadband, drinking water, healthcare, the electric grid, brownfield redevelopment and renewable energy. The Leading Infrastructure For Tomorrow’s America Act, or LIFT America Act, sets out five years of funding for essential infrastructure improvements, job growth, and greater protections for public health and the environment. Carteret Mayor Daniel Reiman, Kevin Duncan, Chair of the Middlesex County Building and Construction Trades Council and Doug O'Malley, Director of Environment New Jersey joined Congressman Pallone at the event.

“At a time when our nation’s infrastructure is either crumbling or in desperate need of modernization, it’s time we make real and significant investments for the future,” said Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06). “The LIFT America Act is a blueprint for critical investments in our nation’s infrastructure that will also create jobs, protect public health, and the environment. I look forward to working with all of my colleagues to advance these key investments in American infrastructure.”

The LIFT America Act includes investments in several key areas including:

· $22.56 billion for drinking water infrastructure to protect public health and create jobs, including increased investment in drinking water State Revolving Funds and additional funding to replace lead service lines, address lead in school drinking water, and prepare for the impacts of climate change;
· $2.25 billion for Brownfields redevelopment to revitalize communities and create jobs by returning valuable land to productive use;
· Over $17 billion for energy infrastructure, including $4 billion for modern, secure, efficient, and resilient electric grid infrastructure, $9 billion for resilient and renewable energy supply including methane pipeline replacement, and more than $4 billion for energy efficiency efforts and smart communities;
· More than $3 billion for healthcare infrastructure, to re vive the successful Hill-Burton hospital infrastructure program, fund medical facility infrastructure in Indian Country, support state labs fighting Zika and other infectious diseases, and support community based health care infrastructure; and
· $40 billion for the deployment of secure and resilient broadband, to expand access for communities nationwide while protecting privacy and promoting security by design;

“Investing in our nation’s infrastructure makes sense for everyone. It will provide good jobs for the skilled men and women of the unions I am proud to represent. It will improve our local economies, and keep our nation competitive in an ever globalizing economy,” said President Bill Mullen of the NJ Building & Construction Trades Council. “We need to rebuild New Jersey’s bridges and roads, but there are also opportunities to build hospitals, improve our energy grid, and turn unused contaminated sites into vibrant parts of our communities. The LIFT America Act is a chance for our elected officials in Washington to come together and put Americans to work.”

“Fixing and expanding our infrastructure should be a no-brainer for Congress," said Doug O'Malley, director of Environment New Jersey. “From fixing lead pipes to strengthening our electric grid to weatherizing our schools, Rep. Pallone's LIFT Act provides a vision forward for how to strengthen our communities, our environment and economy. This should be a bipartisan push and we urge the full delegation to support this."

The LIFT America Act will invest in programs with proven records of job creation, including the drinking water State Revolving Fund and the Brownfields Redevelopment program. The legislation requires the use of American made iron and steel for drinking water projects and hospital construction and requires the payment of prevailing wages. The bill will also spur new high-paying technology jobs by supporting deployment of smart buildings, smart grid, and Smart Communities technology. The LIFT America Act also provides much-needed funding to repair and replace aging infrastructure that will have significant public health benefits, especially for children. The bill includes funding to get lead out of school drinking water, replace polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-laden lighting fixtures with safer and more energy efficient alternatives in schools, and reduce diesel emissions from school buses.

NJ Watchdog: Highway robbery? Bill seeks probe of state road costs

Why does New Jersey spend more on its highway system than any other state?

On the heels of reports by New Jersey Watchdog, a state senator is introducing legislation today to create a task force to address that question.

“When we’re spending two or three times more per mile than any other state, it’s extremely likely that significant savings can be found by the task force,” said Sen. Mike Doherty, R-Washington Twp., the bill’s sponsor.

New Jersey pays in excess of $2 million a mile per year – more than 12 times higher than the national average – to maintain 3,338 miles of state-administered roads, according to a Reason Foundation study.

State transportation commissioner Jamie Fox responded by calling the study “inaccurate and unfair.” However, Fox did not offer alternative figures, nor did he dispute that New Jersey has the costliest roads in the country.

“Some may quibble over how much more New Jersey spends on our highways than other states, but nobody disputes that we do spend more than everyone else,” said Doherty. “With New Jersey drivers already shouldering such a heavy tax and toll burden, it’s imperative that we find out why millions we spend on our roads get us so little in return.”

That weight will only get heavier if lawmakers pass a proposed 25 cents a gallon hike in the state gas tax. According to its proponents, the state must to raise $2 billion a year to fund its transportation projects.

The full story is online at http://watchdog.org/204570/new-jersey-highway-robbery/.

What would happen under a Republican Senate?

  The Daily Kos -  The answer is in the video above. As Reich explains:

• Unemployment benefits will not be extended to the long-term unemployed
• No minimum wages—no living wages for that matter
• Continuing education cuts
• Continuing decay of our country's infrastructure

President Obama's Weekly Address 10/11/14 : America Is a Place Where Hard Work Should Be Rewarded

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s address, the President made the case for why it’s past time to raise the minimum wage. Increasing the national minimum wage to $10.10 an hour would benefit 28 million Americans, and make our economy stronger. While Republicans in Congress have blocked this commonsense proposal, a large and growing coalition of state and local leaders and owners of businesses large and small have answered the President’s call and raised wages for their residents and employees. This progress is important, but there is more that can be done. No American who works full time should have to raise a family in poverty. That’s why the President will continue to push Congress to take action and give America its well-deserved raise.

President Obama's Weekly Address 5/17/14: Working When Congress Won't Act .

WASHINGTON, DC – In this week’s address, the President discussed actions to expand opportunity for more Americans, with or without the help of Republicans in Congress, including his Administration’s efforts to cut red tape for major transportation infrastructure projects. In the coming days, the President will meet with business leaders to highlight the importance of bringing jobs back to America and will also discuss the economic benefits of making it easier for tourists to visit and spend money at attractions in the U.S., which in turn helps local businesses and grows the economy for everyone. The President has called 2014 a year of action, and he will continue to do whatever he can to continue to strengthen our economy, create jobs and restore opportunity for all.

President Obama's Weekly Address 4/5/14: The President’s Budget Ensures Opportunity for All Hard-Working Americans

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s address, the President highlighted the important differences between the budget he’s put forward – built on opportunity for all – and the budget House Republicans are advocating for, which stacks the deck against the middle class. While the President is focused on building lasting economic security and ensuring that hard-working Americans have the opportunity to get ahead, Republicans are advancing the same old top-down approach of cutting taxes for the wealthiest Americans and slashing important investments in education, infrastructure, and research and development.

President Obama's Weekly Address 3/1/14: Investing in Technology and Infrastructure to Create Jobs

WASHINGTON, DC — In his weekly address, President Obama said he took action this week to launch new manufacturing hubs and expand a competition to fund transformative infrastructure projects. Both are policies aimed at expanding economic opportunity for all by creating jobs and ensuring the long-term strength of the American economy. Congress can boost this effort by passing a bipartisan proposal to create a nationwide network of high-tech manufacturing hubs and taking steps to invest in our nation’s infrastructure -- rebuilding our transportation system, creating new construction jobs, and better connecting Americans to economic opportunities.

One Year Later, America Must Better Prepare for Severe Storms Like Sandy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Erin Bzymek,BlueGreen Alliance

BlueGreen Alliance Releases Five Recommendations to Fix America’s Infrastructure Deficit

WASHINGTON, DC (October 28, 2013) – One year after Superstorm Sandy, the BlueGreen Alliance released a series of five recommendations to address shortfalls in America’s infrastructure. The labor and environmental partnership contends that without a comprehensive plan to fix the systems Americans rely on every day—including our roads and bridges and water, electric, transit and communications systems—we will continue to be vulnerable to extreme weather events that will only occur more frequently as climate change worsens.

“We’ve already seen the extreme and costly damage this new era of climate change-related weather has in store for us,” said D. Michael Langford, National President of the Utility Workers Union of America. “The sooner we recognize and prioritize the projects that need the most work, we’ll be better able to protect communities next time. It goes almost without saying that the pervasive need for repairs offers an opportunity for job creation and economic growth that we can’t afford to pass up.”

The BlueGreen Alliance identified five key infrastructure priorities for cities and states to redesign and strengthen to ensure climate resilient systems:

• Strengthen electric grid reliability and expand capacity;
• Modernize water systems and increase storm water capacity and coastal storm surge responsiveness;
• Identify and reconstruct vulnerable sections of transportation systems;
• Strengthen communications technology to withstand greater weather damage; and
• Renovate anchor community institutions like hospitals and schools to serve as needed crisis centers.

“With record temperatures, record droughts, and record storms devastating communities across the nation, it's clear the threat of climate disruption is now a dangerous new reality,” said Michael Brune, Executive Director of the Sierra Club. “Americans are already paying the costs of extreme weather, so it is vital that we prepare now to protect our families and communities from future disasters while taking immediate action to curb the carbon pollution fueling the climate crisis.”

In the days and weeks after the storm, thousands of utility workers were among the first responders for disasters like Superstorm Sandy, and were on the front lines of picking up the pieces. In New York City for example, UWUA represents workers across the region who provide electric, gas, and steam service in the area.

“Repairing America’s systems won’t happen overnight,” said David Foster, Executive Director of the BlueGreen Alliance. “We have to rebuild stronger and smarter to ensure the safety of our families and communities and create family-sustaining jobs. The bottom line is that the basic systems we rely on every day—the ones we rely on to get us from place to place, for heat and electricity, clean water, and to allow us to communicate with each other—must be maintained and improved in a way that recognizes our reliance on them.”

Superstorm Sandy was the second costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. In the year since the storm, President Obama has introduced a comprehensive plan to combat the effects of climate change and curb carbon pollution. The president’s actions come at a time when Congress has failed to act to prevent climate change or address these critical infrastructure needs.

“One of the biggest underlying problems of what happened during and after Sandy was that utility workers have had to do more with less over the past few years and it’s unacceptable,” said Vinnie Kyne, Local 1-2 UWUA member. “Patch job repairs aren’t going to cut it anymore. We need a long-term plan.”

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The BlueGreen Alliance is a national partnership of labor unions and environmental organizations dedicated to expanding the number and quality of jobs in the clean economy. Launched in 2006, the strategic partnership now brings together major U.S. labor unions and America's most influential environmental organizations and unites more than 15 million members and supporters in pursuit of good jobs, a clean environment and a clean economy. Visit www.bluegreenalliance.org.

Buono Calls Out Christie for Not Knowing of NJ Transit's Hurricane Plan

New Brunswick, NJ - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono issued the following statement in response to a report that Governor Christie had no knowledge of NJ Transit's hurricane plan prior to Hurricane Sandy:

"Given the vital role that NJ Transit plays in the lives of everyday New Jerseyans, it's completely unacceptable that Governor Christie was unaware of NJ Transit's hurricane plan prior to Hurricane Sandy. Based on the report, it's clear that Governor Christie was ill-prepared to ensure that an effective plan was in place to protect New Jersey's vital infrastructure in advance of the storm. The results were devastating as no plan was ever carried out, and NJ Transit's fleet sustained $120 million in damages.

"This report is yet another telling example of Governor Christie's mismanagement surrounding Hurricane Sandy. This is a Governor who awarded a no-bid contract to a politically connected firm and wasted an extra $2 million on Jersey Shore marketing campaign so that he could have a prominent role. Putting your own national ambitions above the needs of the people is not leadership, it's shameful."

Buono Unveils Economic Plan to Strengthen New Jersey’s Working and Middle Class

New Brunswick, NJ – Democratic gubernatorial candidate and State Senator Barbara Buono today released her plan to revitalize New Jersey’s economy. The Buono Economic Plan focuses on lifting up all New Jerseyans by giving them the training, resources and infrastructure they need to thrive in a 21st century economy.

“My plan was developed with the understanding that a strong economy begins with a strong middle class. In order to have sustainable, long-term growth we must invest in our workforce, schools, small businesses and infrastructure,” said Buono. “As Governor, I will marshal New Jersey’s resources to create jobs and make our state competitive in the global economy.”



You can find the entire Buono Economic Plan here.

The five-part plan calls for making strategic investments in New Jersey workers, ensuring working families can make ends meet and creating partnerships between institutions of higher learning and businesses in emerging industries so that New Jersey is at the forefront of the global economy.

New Jersey was once one of America’s leaders in developing complex technologies and lifesaving medicines. This history can be the foundation for the next generation of businesses that will move the Garden State forward. To make sure that New Jersey’s workers have the necessary skills, the Buono Economic Plan will:

• Restore New Jersey as a leader in research and innovation by emphasizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curriculum in our schools and providing higher education with the resources to expand this workforce.
• Create affordable options in our community colleges and vocational schools to train and retrain our workforce with the skills needed for developing industries.

The second part of the Buono Economic Plan will help working families that have been hurting under Governor Christie earn a living wage. This includes:

• Restoring the Earned Income Tax Credit to 25 percent and marketing it to all eligible families.
• Increasing New Jersey’s minimum wage and tying it to cost of living increases.
• Expanding tax relief for child care expenses that cost the average New Jersey family 9 percent of its monthly income.
• Giving parents the tools to save for their children’s higher education through the NJ BEST program.

As Governor, Barbara Buono will commit to fostering cooperative partnerships between emerging markets and institutions of higher learning, which will define New Jersey as a leader in innovation and help attract high quality businesses. To do this, she will:

• Connect start-up and emerging market businesses with institutions of higher learning.
• Increase investments in research and development to attract new businesses to New Jersey.

Tax credits and incentives work best when targeted at the communities and businesses that need it most. Approximately 95% of all New Jersey companies are small businesses. To help grow this sector of the economy, the Buono Economic Plan will:

• Target assistance to small businesses, many of which are women-and minority-owned.
• Start a Community Solutions program to help small businesses open and grow.
• Target tax credits for small businesses in biotechnology, life sciences, and other advanced fields.
• Restore and strengthen oversight of the Urban Enterprise Zone program

Finally, many people in New Jersey are facing obstacles that can only be removed by the government action. To promote growth, the Buono Economic Plan will:

• Tackle the foreclosure crisis and keep families in their homes.
• Fix crumbling infrastructure by leveraging private capital and federal funds to pay for new projects.
• Renew our commitment to a clean energy economy by investing in renewable energy sources and promoting energy efficiency.

Pallone Statement on Obama State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) issued the following statement in reaction to President Obama’s State of the Union Address to Congress:

“President Obama offered a strong agenda to addressing some of our nation’s most challenging problems. I was encouraged to hear his emphasis on creating jobs, rebuilding our economy and working together to stem violence in our culture.

“The president’s jobs agenda must be acted on by this Congress. As the president noted, manufacturing has been a bright spot for our nation’s economy and we should continue to take steps to encourage American businesses to make their products here in America. Manufacturing can continue to be a driver of our economy and we should work together to foster growth.

“I was also pleased to hear President Obama make a commitment to working to reform our energy future and address climate change. He rightly noted that weather events like Superstorm Sandy, which devastated so much of Jersey Shore, are a frightening indication of the power of climate change and why we can and must take action while we can still make a positive impact. I agree with the president’s position that we must take steps to expedite the transition to alternative energy, which will be good for our planet and our economy.

“As the president said, energy is ‘just one part of an aging infrastructure’ that needs to be addressed. I was excited to hear the president talk about his ‘Fix it First’ and ‘Partnership to Rebuild’ plans. These could be positive steps that could create jobs while rebuilding our nation.

“The most important thing we can do for the future of our nation is to provide the best education in the world to our children and I was interested to hear President Obama’s proposals on improving our education system. We need to create new opportunities for our children to continue to be competitive in the global economy.

“President Obama also touched on the challenging issue of immigration reform and the need to address poverty in the wealthiest nation on Earth by calling for an increase in the federal minimum wage. We need to improve wages in the United States so that we working families can gain access to the middle class.

“Along with improved wages, must come equality and fairness when it comes to earning, which is why equal pay for equal work continues to be critical for improving our economy. Women must earn the same wages as men for the same work and not have to worry about discrimination in the work place. I was also encouraged to hear the president call to the Violence Against Women Act that passed in the Senate today and I look forward to voting for in the House.

“President Obama’s commitment to continuing to ensure our nation’s security while working to finish our job in Afghanistan will also be critical to strengthening the country. He noted that we face a different set of challenges now, so it is time to consider reducing nuclear weapon stockpiles while improving our security against cyber threats.

“The President also touched on critical issues like equality and improving voting rights. I agree that we can and must find solutions to these pressing issues in the 113th Congress.

“Finally, I stand with President Obama and plan to work with him to prevent gun violence in our nation. We cannot lose more innocent lives to gun violence in this country and we need to work together to find develop a plan that protects all Americans.

“President Obama’s State of the Union address set out bold plans for his presidency and the 113th Congress. Many of the president’s initiatives can be achieve with a bipartisan approach. Democrats and Republicans must work together to achieve these common goals and I look forward to addressing our nation’s challenges head on with my colleagues in Congress.”

President Obama's Weekly Address 7/7/12: Pushing Congress to Create Jobs, Keep College in Reach for Middle Class

WASHINGTON, DC—In this week’s address, President Obama spoke to the American people from Ohio about a bill signed on Friday that does two important things: it keeps thousands of construction workers on the job rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, and it stops interest rates on federal loans from doubling this year for more than seven million students. The President urges Congress to do more to help our economic recovery and create jobs, including taking half the money we’re no longer spending on war and using it to build roads, bridges and wireless networks at home, and expanding financial aid to two million students while giving them the opportunity to learn the skills that businesses need right now. It’s time for our elected officials to come together to help strengthen the middle class.

President Obama's Weekly Address 8/6/11: Creating Jobs and Getting All Americans Back to Work

WASHINGTON—In this week’s address, President Obama called on Democrats and Republicans to work together to grow the economy and get Americans back to work. The President has outlined a number of steps Congress can take right now to spur growth and create jobs, including extending tax cuts for working and middle class families, cutting red tape to encourage new businesses to grow and hire, passing trade deals that will support tens of thousands of jobs, and giving our out-of-work construction workers opportunities to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure.

After Receiving $41.1M Tax Subsidy For Economic Development And Job Creation Campbell's Soup Co. Announces Layoffs

Nothing like wasting tax payer money on corporate welfare when the money could have been used for other more important things like education, health care, property tax relief, infrastructure....

Once again Governor you definitely have your priorities straight!.

Campbell's Soup Co. Announces Layoffs: MyFoxPHILLY.com

CAMDEN, N.J. - Campbell's Soup Co. plans to lay off about 770 people worldwide, Including about 130 people at its Camden headquarters, in an effort to reduce overhead and improve efficiency.

The reductions will be phased in over the next two years and will result in a savings of about $75 million dollars.

The cuts include about 10 percent of the company's workforce in Camden, its longtime headquarters.

Fox 29's Steve Keeley has more in this Wednesday morning live report from "Good Day."

President Obama's Weekly Address 3/5/11: Cutting Waste, Investing in the Future

WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Obama called for Democrats and Republicans to come together on a budget that cuts wasteful spending without sacrificing job-creating investments in education, innovation, and infrastructure. Noting that his administration has already proposed specific cuts that meet congressional Republicans halfway, he said that he is prepared to do more and that the job can only be finished by working out the differences and finding common ground.

President Obama's Weekly Address 2/5/11: Winning the Future through American Innovation

WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, President Obama said America can prosper and win the future by supporting innovation, education, and infrastructure. This past week, the President highlighted how students and researchers at Penn State University are poised lead the way on innovation and job creation through their work on energy efficiency. In the coming week, he will visit Marquette, Michigan, where high-speed broadband infrastructure is connecting a small town to the larger world. And on Monday, he will talk to the Chamber of Commerce about how if we make America the best place to do business, then businesses should make their mark on America by setting up shop in America, hiring American workers, and paying good wages.

HOLT: ECONOMIC RECOVERY BILL WOULD CREATE NEW JOBS,HELP THOSE STRUGGLING IN ECONOMIC CRISIS

Here is what Congressman Rush Holt has to say about the passage of the Economic stimulas bill passed last night in the House.

Press Release:

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Rush Holt (NJ-12) tonight voted for the House-passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009, arguing that it would provide the comprehensive investment needed to stop the nation’s economic decline and rebuild the economy by creating millions of new jobs. Holt highlighted nearly $16 billion of new funding for science research and facilities, including $3 billion for the National Science Foundation, $2 billion for physical science research at the Department of Energy, $3.5 billion for the National Institutes of Health, and $3 billion for research into energy efficiency and renewable energy. The Senate still needs to pass the bill.

“The ideal project is one that keeps on giving, and that is exactly what scientific research does,” Holt said. “In his Inaugural Address, President Obama said ‘we will restore science to its rightful place.’ This legislation places science at the center of short-term job creation and long-term economic growth.”

In December 2008, Holt hosted a roundtable discussion at Princeton University, along with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, senior Congressional leaders, and national leaders in the science and technology community to highlight the importance of innovation infrastructure to ensure long-term American competitiveness.

Holt also drew attention to other investments that would help create new jobs and help families struggling in the economy, including funding for:

--School modernization, including funding for Holt’s initiative to increase energy efficiency (an estimated $250 million for New Jersey).

--Helping states prevent the laying off of teachers and other school employees (an estimated $1.7 million for New Jersey)

--Road and bridge construction, as well as improving public transit and rail (an estimated $1.15 billion for New Jersey)

--Transforming the nation’s electricity systems through the Smart Grid Investment Program.

--Job training, including for green-collar jobs.

--Increasing Pell Grants to $5,350 by the next school year, helping to make college more affordable.

--Extending unemployment benefits through 2009 and extending health care coverage for unemployed workers (an estimated 148,000 New Jersey workers would be eligible).

“We’re past the point where we can hope the economy will right itself,” Holt said. “People are hurting now. New Jersey’s unemployment rate has risen to 7.1 percent from 4.2 percent just a year ago. This legislation would provide the bold, wise action needed to get our economy on the road to recovery. Every dollar spent would create new jobs and help build the economy for the 21st century.”

01/24/09: President Obama's Weekly Address

In his first weekly address since being sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, President Barack Obama discussed how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan will jump-start the economy.

AS 111th CONGRESS BEGINS, SEN. MENENDEZ SAYS STIMULUS IS PRESSING NEED FOR LOCAL, NATIONAL ECONOMY

Press Release of Senator Menendez

Monday, January 5, 2009

WASHINGTON – Before heading to Washington for this week’s beginning of the 111th Congress, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) spoke today about the pressing need for the passage of an effective economic stimulus package to address the economic recession that has caused more than 34,000 jobs losses in New Jersey through the first 11 months of 2008. Appearing with Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, Hudson County Executive Thomas DeGise and local labor union leaders, Senator Menendez said that federal funding for critical infrastructure, construction and energy projects as well as a middle class tax cut is the type of effective stimulus package that is needed. The group spoke standing next to the Pulaski Skyway, a 76 year-old bridge that is need of significant reinforcement and restoration and could benefit from a stimulus package.

“As we get to business in Congress, we do so with the full understanding that, above everything else, the economic crisis is hitting people hard, here in New Jersey, across the country and the world,” said Senator Menendez. “This crisis is taking away people’s jobs, their homes and their life savings. So addressing the economy is not just our first order of business – it’s our first, second and third orders of business.”

Senator Menendez continued: “We are working to craft and quickly pass an economic stimulus bill that invests money in the most effective way possible – with ‘effective’ being the key word. We’re not talking about spending money just for the sake of it to create the appearance that we’re taking action. What we’re talking about is smart investment in the types of local projects and programs that actually create jobs, fuel our economy and help create the conditions necessary for a turnaround.”

Senator Menendez went on to say that the types of projects would be effective as part of a stimulus should fit three criteria:

• Spur job creation
• Address a critical need for the community
• Are ready to be started quickly

Among the projects Senator Menendez mentioned as possible ways to effectively stimulate the economy were:

• Critical infrastructure projects, such as restoration of the Pulaski Skyway and scores of other road, bridge and bypass restoration and construction
• Mass transit projects, including the establishment of a stream of funding for the ARC tunnel across the Hudson
• School construction and restoration
• Energy projects, such as funding for Senator Menendez’s Energy Efficiency Block Grants program to help municipalities conserve energy and funding to help residents weatherize their houses and cut down energy bills

Senator Menendez also expressed hope that the middle-class tax cuts touted by President-elect Barack Obama on the campaign trail will be included in the stimulus package. President-elect Obama has made signing an effective economic stimulus package his top priority for the beginning of his presidency in order to address the recession immediately. Congressional leadership is working to craft and vote on a stimulus package in the next few weeks.